A Processor Value Unit (PVU) is a unit of measure used to differentiate licensing of software on distributed processor technologies (defined by Processor Vendor, Brand, Type and Model Number). IBM continues to define a processor, for purposes of PVU-based licensing, to be each processor core on a chip (socket). Each software Program has a unique price per PVU. For a complete definition of PVU licensing, please see description of PVU full-capacity and sub-capacity licensing below. For more information about PVUs, see the links to the right under 'Essentials'

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PVU Table per Core (section 2 of 2 - x86)

Processor Technologies

Processor Brand

Processor Type

Processor
Vendor

Processor
Name

Proc.
Model
Number1

Cores per socket

Maximum
number of
sockets
per server

PVUs
per
Core

(1)

(2)

(4)

(6)

(8)

(10)

(12)

(14)

(15)

(16)

(18)

Intel®

Xeon®

3400 to 3699
5500 to 5699
6500 to 6599
7500 to 7599
E3-1000 to 1099
E3-1200 to 1299
E3-1200 V2 to 1299V2
E3-1200V3 to 1299V3
E3-1200V4 to 1299V4
E3-1200V5 to 1299V5
E5-1400 to 1499
E5-1400V2 to 1499V2
E5-1400V3 to 1499V3
E5-1600 to 1699
E5-1600V2 to 1699V2
E5-1600V3 to 1699V3
E5-1600V4 to 1699V4
E5-2400 to 2499
E5-2400V2 to 2499V2
E5-2400V3 to 2499V3
E5-2600 to 2699
E5-2600V2 to 2699V2
E5-2600V3 to 2699V3
E5-2600V4 to 2699V4
E5-4600 to 4699
E5-4600V2 to 4699V2
E5-4600V3 to 4699V3
E5-4600V4 to 4699V4
E7-2800 to 2899
E7-2800V2 to 2899V2
E7-2800V3 to 2899V3
E7-4800 to 4899
E7-4800V2 to 4899V2
E7-4800V3 to 4899V3
E7-4800V4 to 4899V4
E7-8800 to 8899
E7-8800V2 to 8899V2
E7-8800V3 to 8899V3
E7-8800V4 to 8899V4

>4

4

2

120

100

70

Xeon®

3000 to 3399
5000 to 5499
7000 to 7499

All

50

Core®

All i3, i5, i7

All

70

AMD

Opteron

All

All

50

Any

Any single-core

All

All

100

*Requirements as of publish date: 03 October 2016

Notes:

IBM offers Software for both Intel and AMD processors. Intel refers to its processors by "Processor Number" and AMD by "Model Number". The processor model can be preceded by a letter. For example, 'x5365 refers to '5365', which is included in the table within the '5000 to 5499' range. For additional help with identification, refer to the 'Processor Model Number Discovery Guide'.

The PVU requirement for the Intel Nehalem EX and Sandy Bridge EP processor technology is dependent on the maximum number of sockets on the server. If sockets on two or more servers are connected to form a Symmetric Multiprocessing (SMP) Server, the maximum number of sockets per server increases. See single server examples and two or more servers example below.

When sockets on a 2 socket server with 6 cores per socket are connected to sockets on another 2 socket server with 6 cores per socket, this becomes an SMP server with a maximum of 4 sockets per server and 24 cores, and requires 2400 PVUs (100 per core x 24 cores).

PVU full-capacity and sub-capacity licensing

Processor Value Unit (PVU) is a unit of measure by which the Program can be licensed. The number of PVU entitlements required is based on the processor technology (defined within the PVU Table above by Processor Vendor, Brand, Type and Model Number) and by the number of processors made available to the Program. IBM continues to define a processor, for the purpose of PVU-based licensing, to be each processor core on a chip (socket). A dual-core processor chip, for example, has two processor cores.

The Licensee can deploy the Program using either Full Capacity licensing or Virtualization Capacity (Sub-Capacity) licensing according to the Passport Advantage Sub-Capacity Licensing Terms. If using Full Capacity licensing, the Licensee must obtain PVU entitlements sufficient to cover all activated processor cores* in the physical hardware environment made available to or managed by the Program, except for those servers from which the Program has been permanently removed. If using Virtualization Capacity licensing, the Licensee must obtain entitlements sufficient to cover all activated processor cores made available to or managed by the Program, as defined according to the Virtualization Capacity License Counting Rules.

* An Activated processor core is a processor core that is available for use in a physical or virtual server, regardless of whether the capacity of the processor core can be or is limited through virtualization technologies, operating system commands, BIOS settings, or similar restrictions.